Detroit’s pricey parking ticket rates could soon be lowered under a new proposal that would also restore a significant early payment discount eliminated during the city’s municipal bankruptcy, the Free Press has learned.

City Council President Pro Tem Mary Sheffield confirmed she plans to introduce an amendment to the city's parking ordinance later this month that would lower tickets for expired meters and "no-parking" violations from $45 to $30, or 33 percent.

Under Sheffield's proposal, fines paid within 10 days of issuance would also receive a 50 percent early-payment discount, reducing the fine from $30 to $15. And the 30- and 60-day late-payment penalties would drop from $65 to $50, and $95 to $80, respectively.

The move, however, could set up a battle with Mayor Mike Duggan's administration, which contends the revenue is needed for a balanced budget.

The city's parking ticket rates have long been a contentious issue for many Detroiters who decried a decision in April 2014 by former Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr to increase fines. A federal lawsuit was filed late last year, alleging the city ripped off residents and visitors through excessive parking tickets and late fines. The lawsuit is still winding through the court system.

But Sheffield said since the city has paid off bonds related to the bankruptcy and parking revenues are no longer pledged to any specific debt, she believes the city's parking ticket rates are now unnecessarily high.

"The parking fines were increased under pretenses and conditions that no longer exist," Sheffield said in an interview. "Given the fact that the changes were made via the emergency manager and not through the normal democratic process, I believe it's my duty to ensure that a measure affecting the public is the result of an open and transparent government action."

According to the city, the increased parking rates also were reaffirmed by an ordinance enacted in April of this year. Before Orr's change, Detroit hadn’t increased parking rates since 2001.

Detroit’s parking tickets were once $20, with a $10 discount if paid within 10 days.

The Detroit City Council has the authority to change the parking rates and would have to approve Sheffield's proposed amendment. The amendment appears to have early support among some other council members, Sheffield said, but it has yet to be officially considered by the body.

"We want our city to be as welcoming and receptive to visitors as possible to preserve the momentum of Detroit’s resurgence," Sheffield said. "Reducing the parking fees is just one aspect that promotes inclusion."

But Mayor Mike Duggan's administration has raised concerns about the financial impact of lowering the fines.

"Based on the CFO's (chief financial officer's) assessment of the financial impact this recommendation would have on the city's operating budget, we can't justify reducing the cost of parking tickets at this time," Detroit's Chief Operating Officer Dave Massaron said in a statement to the Free Press. "However, we are open to considering the early payment option and will be exploring the possibility of re-instituting it."

Since switching to the new pay-by-plate parking system, the city generated $12.5 million in parking tickets for fiscal year 2016 and $12.8 million for fiscal year 2017. The system enables drivers to access a kiosk or use a mobile app to enter license plate numbers and pay to park in any space within a specific zone.

The city issued 250,000 tickets in 2015, 255,000 tickets in 2016 and 265,000 in 2017.

Despite the uptick since 2015, city officials said there has been a noted reduction compared with a high of 301,000 tickets issued in 2013.

In a fiscal impact memo to Duggan and City Council members, Chief Financial Officer John Hill said reducing parking fines for expired meter and no-parking violations would reduce general fund revenue by about $1.8 million annually.

According to Hill, the change would represent a total revenue loss of about $7.1 million over the fiscal years 2019 through 2022.

"Thus, it would have a negative impact on the city's FY 2019 budget and Four-Year Financial Plan for FY 2019 – FY 2022, unless offsetting cost savings are identified," Hill wrote in the Aug. 28 memo.

City officials also said the majority of ticketed drivers, 70 percent, have license plates that are registered outside of the city. About 30 percent have Detroit registered license plates.

But Sheffield said regardless of who receives the most tickets, the fines are still too high and Detroiters should have a chance to share their concerns.

"Even if the numbers bear out that 70 percent of the tickets are issued to suburbanites and 30 percent to Detroiters, if one Detroiter has to pay more for parking violations than he or she previously would have, then we must make sure the people have a say and the opportunity to be heard by their elected officials," Sheffield said. "The amendment I have proposed provides that forum for debate and public input."

Kat Stafford is the Detroit government watchdog reporter for the Free Press, covering city issues and the community. Contact Kat Stafford: kstafford@freepress.com or 313-223-4759.